A New Perspective
by Elizabeth Patil
Summary: What would happen if you woke up on the cold stone floor to see your elderly Headmaster staring at you in the body of a teenager? Just ask Neville Longbottom in his travels to the past. TIME TRAVEL
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. I'm only playing with JK Rowling's characters.

When Neville woke up his head was pounding fiercely. He slowly opened his eyes, only to find himself looking up to a tall rather odd looking boy his age.

"Are you alright?" the boy questioned. "You look like you hit your head pretty hard."

"Oh, yes I'll be fine," Neville reassured him in confusion. "So…um…who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry I assumed you'd recognize the head boy," he said.

"Y-You're not the head boy, Harry is," Neville stammered.

"Harry? No, I can assure you, I, Albus Dumbledore am head boy!"

"Pro-Professor Dumbledore?" Now Neville was really at a loss. His head was swimming. Why was this boy pretending to be the headmaster?

"Albus," a girl's voice called, "What are you doing by the charms classroom, we have defense in three minutes. We have to hurry or we'll be late, again! You can just image what old Diggle would have to say about that."

"Why hello Poppy, I was just helping ur…"

"Neville"

"Yes, Neville here, you see I think he fell and hit his head."

"Oh, well in that case we'd better help him to the infirmary then hadn't we? Honestly Albus what have you been doing to this poor boy? What if he has a concussion or something? You have no common sense! Look at that nasty gash on his head, and he's gone right pale. I may be taking healing class, but even I don't have a clue what to do for him."

"Sorry," Albus mumbled. "Here let me give you a hand," he said to Neville.

"Oh thanks," Neville replied, and then turning to the girl, Neville dazedly informed her, "You look like Madame Pomfrey."

"Well I am Miss Pomfrey, after all. Of course I look like my mum. I have to wonder, though just how you know her."

"Poppy, come on I thought we were taking him to the nurse," an impatient Dumbledore interrupted. "You can chat all you wish later. After all, I thought it was you who was so adamant about getting him up to the infirmary."

Neville never heard him, though for soon after his last words he felt thee world around him fade away, as he passed out again.

"Oh dear," Miss Pomfrey sighed, as Albus cast a spell to levitate the poor confused boy to the infirmary.

"I've never seen the boy before…not a student…foreign school."

"No…seems familiar…know soon."

Neville heard vague voices before finally succumbing to the light of day. Looking around, he realized that he was in the infirmary. He'd been there enough times due to accidents being on the wrong side of a miss-fired charm.

"Ah, and so he awakens," the soft voice of an old woman calls, but as Neville sees her, he realizes that this is a different Matron.

"Where's Madame Pomfrey," he asks, "I had the strangest dream about the headmaster saying he was the head boy, and this girl who wouldn't stop talking and scolding, scolding Albus Dumbledore! The greatest wizard of our time!"

"Oh dear, I knew something was wrong, but I had hoped not this…Alas it seems you have lost your memory. Albus, the greatest wizard of our time! Now that is a joke worth remembering son. Labeling the biggest trouble-maker Hogwarts has seen in decades the greatest wizard of our time, the young," the nurse tutted.

"What? You-you must be mistaken Madame. Please I…Professor Dumbledore, he'll tell us." Neville pleaded.

"Dear, Albus Dumbledore is a seventh year student, and most assuredly NOT a professor. The same goes for Poppy Pomfrey. The only Madame here is I, Madame Tame. Now perhaps you should rest and when you awake the world will make sense dear, and these silly notions of yours will fade.'

"Madame Tame, I-I'm sorry, but I'm confused. It's just nothing is the way it's supposed to be. This is going to sound crazy, but I once heard my Gran taking about time turners, and well if Professor Dumbledore is a student, then maybe I've…well…What year is it Madame?"

"Well dear it's…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Previous:_

_This is going to sound crazy, but I once heard my Gran taking about time turners, and well if Professor Dumbledore is a student, then maybe I've…well…What year is it Madame?"_

"_Well dear it's…"_

"1920, of course, what did you think, dear?"

"19-1920, Madame, oh no, it's just not possible. How do I get myself into these things?" Neville mumbled. "So it's not 2006 then," Neville sighed.

"No son and I think perhaps I should fetch the Headmaster as well. I detest the man, but this is sort of his responsibility after all. To think a time-traveler or worse is he an imposter?" With that departing statement Madame Tame left, presumably to gather the Headmaster.

Neville stared at the stark white walls of the infirmary and pondered what would happen to him now. He might never see his Gran again, or his uncle Alfred, or would he? He knew Gran was at least twenty years younger than Professor Dumbledore, so maybe he could meet her as a baby in a few years. Boy, would that be weird, and maybe he could meet his parents too! That wouldn't be for a long time, though Neville thought. "I'd rather just go home now."

"Hello," a sharp voice sounded from the doorframe of his room. "And who might you be, young man, we don't tolerate liars." Lifting his head up from his pillow, Neville could see that the speaker was an older gentleman, older than Madame Tame, with a proud expression in his cold blue eyes, and a wiry grey mustache. At that moment Neville wished Madam Tame would come back.

"I-I'm Neville sir, Neville Longbottom."

"Longbottom," the voice boomed. "That's impossible, I know the Longbottom quite well, and you look nothing like a Longbottom."

"Everyone says my looks come from my mother sir," Neville mumbled.

"It's possible," the man uttered, "but what's this nonsense about the future, 2006 I believe Madame Tame informed me. True time travel is extremely rare, especially over such a large leap of time"

"It's true," Neville confirmed weakly. "In my time Albus Dumbledore is headmaster. I'm a seventh-year Gryffindor, and I'm sure I've never seen you before sir."

"I, boy, am Headmaster Philaenus Black of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I do not tolerate such foolishness as you are currently displaying. It is said that you were found by a certain Mr. Dumbledore. If this is some sort of prank between Mr. Dumbledore and yourself, be assured that you will be very sorry when I get to the bottom of this.

"It isn't, it isn't," Neville cried.

"Very well then, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. As to the mean time, don't think that you will be skipping lessons, whatever the purpose behind you circumstances. Since it would seem you do not have parents, or won't own up to them anyways, you shall join the seventh-year Gryffindors, and pray I do not hear that you and Mr. Dumbledore are making trouble together."

"Mr. Longbottom, whatever shall we do with you? I'm not sure joining the rest of the students is wise, especially so soon after head trauma. It isn't up to me though, dear. It isn't as if I would know best, I'm only a trained Healer after all! I utterly despise that that man. Honestly if Philaenus was any colder he could freeze his own ice! Without magic!" Madame Tame ranted.

"Um…Madame, what am I going to tell everyone? I don't think they'll believe I'm a time traveler, they'll think I'm a psycho."

"A what, dear?" she questioned.

"A psychopath, you know a crazy person, a loony, a nutcase!" Neville expanded sadly, thinking of his own parents back at home.

"You worry they'll think you an idiot?" she finally understood.

"Well, yes but a psycho is not just stupid, they're well insane!" Neville said exasperated. He was tired of how thick she was being. Isn't she supposed to be a Healer!

"You misunderstand son, an idiot is not ignorant. They are mentally handicapped. It follows the same meaning as a crazy person or a nutcase as you put it. I do admit that the terms loony and psycho escape me. I've heard many derogatory names, but never those ones. Perhaps this is proof that you are from the future," she said with a smile. "And as for what to tell the other students, simply say that you lost your memory. You certainly hit your head hard enough for that to be believable. I'll leave it up to you to decide what things you do remember," the kindly old lady said with a wink.

Once he was released from the Infirmary, Neville felt his stomach growl, and decided to head down to the great hall in hopes that it would be lunch time. It would seem he was in luck. The long tables of the great hall were filled to the brim with students of all ages. Neville paused wondering if he should enter, when he saw an open seat next to the boy he remembered to be Albus Dumbledore. So, Neville proceeded to the open chair and quickly sat down, feeling very unsure of himself.

"Oh, hello there," said the boy, Albus. Neville noticed his clear blue eyes and wavy bond hair, a far cry from the long white-bearded wrinkly headmaster he knew. "You're the boy who hit his head this morning, aren't you?"

"Yep, that's clumsy old me," Neville stated hesitantly.

"I'm Albus Dumbledore, Gryffindor seventh-year and head boy. So, where did you come from, I mean you transferred to Hogwarts right," the boy smiled.

"Yeah," oh no, Neville thought. I never came up with a cover story for why I'm here. "I'm," he thought for a moment, best to stick to the truth as much as possible or I'll forget, "from London. I've lived with my Gran. She's very strict and wouldn't…um…wouldn't let me come to Hogwarts. I…uh…finally convinced her, so here I am!"

"Oh, well that's good right," Neville sighed with relief, Professor Dumbledore, or rather Albus, actually bought his story! "Here let me introduce you to a few of the guys," Albus continued, "this fine fellow over here with the mop of hair and glasses is Jacob Potter. Jake, this is Neville. He's our new roommate."

"I heard that, Al, my hair is fine this way. The girls certainly seem to like it." Jacob smiled at a pretty brunet. "You can call me Jake," he offered his hand to Neville, who readily shook it in amazement. This man might be Harry's grandfather or something like that. He certainly looked the part.

"Hello, Neville, I'm Jessica Diggle," said the brunet whom Jacob Potter was ogling just minutes before. "Don't let the boys get to you. They're Hogwarts very own trouble makers. If they give you a problem let me know. My father teaches defense against the dark arts, here so I can get them into trouble for you. It isn't that difficult. Everyone is always ready to suspect Dumbledore and Potter here of mischief." She stated with a wry smile.

"You don't mean that Jessie! You'd never get ME into trouble, would you? You simply love me too much for that," Jake pretended to swoon at her feet.

"Ha Ha Ha, very funny Potter, I'd worship the headmaster, before I'd love you." With that statement she turned away from them to talk to her friend.

"One day, she'll agree to go out with me," Jacob sighed.

"Yeah, and one day I'll elope with Pomfrey. Just give it up, Jake. She's too proud to court a common trouble-maker like you. There's noble blood in the Diggle family. No matter how old the Potters are, you've never intermarried with royalty." Albus brought his swooning friend back to the present.

"Hey, lunch is ending," Neville noticed.

"Oh, would you like us to show you to class. It'll be a journey you'll never forget," Albus began.

"We know all the secret passageways." Jake continued.

"We know all the short cuts."

"We've memorized every trick step, and fake doorway."

"We know all the best pranks."

"We'll tell you all the castles secrets." Neville was starting to feel a little apprehensive, wondering what he'd gotten into.

"Get you into detention at least once a week." Poppy Pomfrey interrupted. "Albus Dumbledore, I thought I told you not to torture innocents. Here, Neville I'll show you the way. These two are always late for class. Gryffindors have charms now." Without a backwards glance Poppy tugged on his shoulder leading him away from the two pranksters, who stared after him with mouths agape.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Please review! Tell me what you think!**

_Previous: _

"_Oh, would you like us to show you to class. It'll be a journey you'll never forget," Albus began._

"_We know all the secret passageways." Jake continued._

"_We know all the short cuts."_

"_We've memorized every trick step, and fake doorway."_

"_We know all the best pranks."_

"_We'll tell you all the castles secrets." Neville was starting to feel a little apprehensive, wondering what he'd gotten into._

"_Get you into detention at least once a week." Poppy Pomfrey interrupted. "Albus Dumbledore, I thought I told you not to torture innocents. Here, Neville I'll show you the way. These two are always late for class. Gryffindors have charms now." Without a backwards glance Poppy tugged on his shoulder leading him away from the two pranksters, who stared after him with mouths agape._

Neville followed the controlling witch, afraid of what she might do otherwise, but turned to give Jake and Albus an apologetic smile. It was probably better this way, anyways. He already had enough problems without adding the mischief of two troublemakers to the mix. He sighed sadly. They did look like they were fun, though.

The pair eventually entered the charms classroom which already seemed to be filled to the brim with students that Neville didn't recognize. Quickly taking a seat in the back of the room, Neville was just in time, as the professor then entered the classroom.

The professor had a tall figure, and gave an impression that seemed to demand respect from his students. "Sir," Poppy Pomfrey announced, "this is Neville Longbottom. He just transferred here, and Professor Black told him to join the Gryffindor seventh-years."

Neville sank down deeper into his seat hating all of the attention that Poppy was directing towards him. He could feel the eyes of twenty or so classmates viewing him with curiosity. Mid-term transfer students were rather unusual after all.

"I am well aware of the situation Miss Pomfrey. If you would take you seat now, so that class may begin. Mr. Longbottom, please remain after class to discuss you ability in charms," the man said.

"Hello class, today we will be studying the lip-reading charm. The charm, when placed on a specific person, allows that person to read lips, or in order words understand what a person is saying simply by watching the movement of their lips as opposed to hearing what is being spoken."

Neville thought that sounded like it could be fun, not that he thought he'd ever be able to get such a spell to go correctly. Knowing his luck, he'd only send himself further back in time if he attempted something that was sure to be complicated.

The man continued the lecture, "This is a charm that is widely used by aurors and nosey busybodies alike. I warn you that any use of this charm outside of this class, for the childish purpose of eavesdropping will result in a severe punishment. Remember you are here to learn useful charms that might be helpful, not cause mischief."

Just as the professor paused in his speech, Jacob Potter and Albus Dumbledore rushed into the classroom, easily twenty minutes late. Jake's hair looked a worse mess than usual, and Albus' shirt had become un-tucked on the run to the classroom. Overall they were the embodiment of the sort of no-good nicks that the professor had just been lecturing the class about.

At that moment Neville was rather glad that he followed Poppy, as he wasn't jealous of the stern glare the duo endured from the professor.

"So what is your excuse this time gentlemen," the professor frowned at his two most troublesome, but talented students. Why did the best always seem to go astray?

"Well you see Professor Bones," Jake began.

Neville realized that he hadn't caught the professor's name before. 'I wonder if it's Bones, as in Susan Bones and Madame Bones at the ministry,' Neville asked himself. 'Maybe not, though. Bones isn't exactly an uncommon name.'

"We sort of ran into a slight distraction along the way here." Albus added.

"You see there was this toad." Jake quickly invented.

The class groaned knowing how ridiculous the explanation was about to get. Although, Neville did notice a few of the girls who seemed interested. Perhaps a bit more interested in the speakers, than their story, though.

"And he was…

"Suffering from a broken leg" "Shooting multicolored sparks," they said at the same time, completely annihilating the sliver of a chance at escaping an evening detention.

"That's enough boys," Professor Bones declared, thoroughly exasperated at the extremely lame attempt at a cover story, "both of you, detention tonight at seven o'clock. Now back to the lesson, Mr. Dumbledore, name one beneficial use of the lip-reading charm that will not result in your expulsion from this institution."

"Well, sir, if a person was deaf, the charm would aid their communication." The professor nodded.

"Another use, if you would, Miss Boot," he asked a petite blond girl sitting on the opposite side of the room from Neville.

"Well, perhaps aurors use it in battle to read the lips of their enemies so that they can spy or even just predict what spell is being cast if it's too noisy to hear it," she volunteered shyly, obviously uncomfortable with public speaking.

"Excellent, Miss Boot that was great deduction on your part. Indeed aurors do use the charm for those purposes. Please take five points for Ravenclaw," Professor Bones praised.

Neville heard Albus mutter that he hadn't received points for his correct answer, and Neville could help but agree at the injustice of the situation. It reminded him a bit of Professor Snape, but perhaps Albus was asking for it. He could hardly believe that this prankster grew into the world-renown wizard Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Isn't this defense work?" a small boy in the front row questioned.

"Good question, Mr. Dunmore," the professor began, "and in fact this spell could be taught in a defense class. Remember, though that some charms are defensive, and this one in particular will be helpful in understanding the theory behind the next unit we will cover this month."

"So, who can tell me the incantation," the professor asked. "Yes, Miss Gates,"

"The correct incantation is _labra legentes_ with an emphasis on the _la _in _labra_ and the _ent _in _legentes_," the girl answered smoothly.

"Correct. Five points to Gryffindor, Miss Gates." Neville noted the girl as a Gryffindor, idly comparing her to Hermione, as she must have read that whole textbook to know such an obscure charm by heart and how to pronounce it.

The class continued in much the same fashion. Professor Bones spent twenty more minutes on theory and technique before he allowed the students to attempt the charm themselves.

Many of the students caught on eventually, as they had been studying charms with similar visualizing techniques for the last quarter. Neville however was more confounded than usual, and frustrated at his lack of success.

After class he remained behind and went over what he knew with the professor, receiving make-up work on top of the homework that had been assigned in class. To think, he traveled to the past only to be bogged down in homework!

Luckily for Neville Albus and Jake had waited for him thinking that Neville wouldn't know how to reach the common room. Of course Neville did know the way, but he was grateful for their company and jumped at the chance to form new friendships and get to know the teenaged version of his headmaster.

While climbing up the many flights of stairs Jake sparked a conversation. "So, Neville want to meet the toad. Truly it had both broken its leg and had been shooting multicolored sparks," Jake asked gleefully.

"Really!" Neville exclaimed, as they approached a landing and then stared in amazement as the other boys led him to the tortured creature. The animal was lying there, having been abandoned by the spell-caster.

"Apparently there was some sort of mishap in the fourth-year transfiguration class. This little guy used to be a fork. Quite an improvement if you ask me," Albus chuckled. "We found some third years fighting over him. They apparently were arguing over which Slytherin they wanted to prank. We were just about to take the creature ourselves when we realized we were late for class. Even the third years took off without this little guy, when they saw how late it was." Albus explained.

"Here help me pick him up," Jake gestured to Neville as he bent down. "Don't touch him as the spells might still be active." Using their robes the boys manages to smuggle the toad into Jake's pocket.

Neville still had a hard time believing how quickly Jake and Albus had accepted him as a friend. Perhaps they just pitied him as the new guy. Yes, that was probably it.

In any case the trio finally reached the common room, sliding through the portrait hole after muttering _giant cows_, the password.

"Some newbie prefect chose the password this week. Honestly the younger years have no sense of style," Jake declared dramatically.

"Jake, Neville look at this," Albus demanded pointing wildly at the message board. The peered closely reading what appeared to be a formal announcement to all Hogwarts students.

_Greetings students of Hogwarts,_

_Her Royal Highness would like to inform all students that Princess Hermione will be joining your wonderful school for the rest of term this year. Naturally the Royal Family expects the students to treat Her with the utmost of respect deserved by any of Royal blood. Please do not question Her on Her background. We are well aware that Princess Hermione has remained hidden from the public eye and Her very existence secret from the populace. Please respect Her privacy, and treat Her with respect. She looks forward to meeting each and every one of you. _

_Sincerely,_

_King Ferdinand, Queen Isabella and The Royal Family_

"Well that certainly is interesting. A secret princess, I wonder what she will be like." Albus mused.

"I bet Jessica would know! Weren't you just saying that the Diggle's had royal blood? Let's go and find her. She's probably in the library!" Jake rushed in excitement, followed by an equally anxious Albus Dumbledore.

Neville followed them at a more sedate pace, pondering this new development. Was it too much to hope that this girl might be his Hermione, from the future? It was highly unlikely in any case. Even if Hermione had somehow managed to also travel back in time to the same year as himself, why would she be a princess?

'Oh well it was a nice dream,' Neville thought. He had always been fond of Hermione, not that he would ever have the guts to do anything about it. She was out of his league.

'Uh oh,' Neville realized he'd have to rush if he wanted to catch up to the troublesome duo and witness their interrogation of Jessica Diggle potential relative of Princess Hermione. Besides, he wasn't supposed to know where he was going yet.

A/N **PLEASE REVIEW**

Reviews truly do motivate me to update more quickly. What do you think, should Hermione be the Hermione? And what are her reasons for being a princess? Will Jessica have any dirt on the situation or ever agree to go out with Potter?

Tell me what YOU think should happen and I'll consider it.

TBC


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